Getting Around Montenegro: Ferry, Buses, Car Hire and Real Journey Times

Montenegro is small enough to cross in half a day and mountainous enough that half a day is exactly what it takes. Distances on the map lie: 100 kilometres of coastal or canyon road is two to three hours, not one. Here is how the transport actually works, what it costs, and the two or three things that catch visitors out.

The ferry that saves you 25 kilometres

The single most useful thing to know if you are driving. The Bay of Kotor is shaped like a butterfly, and the road around it is long. The Kamenari–Lepetane ferry cuts straight across the narrowest point instead.

• Crossing time: about five minutes, dock to dock
• Cost: around €5 for a standard car; foot passengers and cyclists cross free
• Frequency: every 20 minutes through the day in summer, less often overnight
• You do not book. You drive up, join the queue, and pay on board or at the booth

Taking it instead of driving around the bay saves roughly 25 kilometres and a good 40 minutes between Herceg Novi and Tivat or Budva.

The catch: in July and August the queue can run 45 to 60 minutes, especially 7–9am and 4–6pm. At those hours the long way round the bay is often quicker — and it is a beautiful drive through Risan and Perast anyway. Check the queue before you commit; you can see it from the approach road.

Buses: cheap, frequent, and how most people get around

The intercity bus network is the backbone of public transport and it is genuinely good along the coast. Herceg Novi – Kotor – Budva – Bar runs frequently through the day, and there are regular services inland to Podgorica, Nikšić, Kolašin and beyond.

Fares are low. A coastal hop like Kotor to Budva costs roughly €2.50; a longer inland run such as Podgorica to Žabljak is around €7–9.

Two things to know: you usually pay a small extra fee (about €1) to put a large bag in the hold, and it is worth buying tickets at the station counter rather than on board for popular summer routes.

Renting a car: worth it, with caveats

A car is the only way to reach Durmitor, the Tara canyon, Ostrog or the back roads above the bay on your own schedule. Rental is inexpensive by European standards and one-way drop-offs between Tivat and Podgorica are usually a small fee or free on longer rentals.

But be realistic about the roads. Outside the main coastal highway, many are narrow, winding and without guardrails. Mountain routes are spectacular and slow. Add 30–50% to whatever time a mapping app predicts for anything inland.

Parking in Kotor, Budva and Perast in high season is the real constraint — often harder than the driving. Look for the paid lots outside the old towns rather than circling the walls.

Airport transfers — and the one scam to avoid

Both Tivat and Podgorica airports are small and close to where you are going. Tivat to Kotor is about €20 by taxi; Podgorica airport to the city centre is 15–20 minutes and usually €10–15.

Ignore the drivers who approach you in the arrivals hall. Unlicensed drivers work both airports and quote €50 or more for trips that cost €20–25. Walk past them to the marked taxi rank outside, or book a transfer in advance. Licensed taxis have a company name, a roof sign and a meter.

Trains

There is one line worth taking as an experience rather than as transport: Bar to Podgorica and on to Kolašin and Bijelo Polje. It climbs through the Mala Rijeka viaduct and some genuinely dramatic country. It is slow and the timetable is limited, but it is cheap and the scenery from Podgorica northwards is better than the road.

Rough journey times by car

• Tivat airport → Kotor: 20 minutes
• Tivat airport → Budva: 25–30 minutes
• Podgorica → Budva: about 1 hour
• Budva → Ulcinj: about 1 hour 15
• Podgorica → Žabljak (Durmitor): 2 to 2.5 hours
• Kotor → Herceg Novi: 40 minutes via the ferry, over an hour around the bay

Add time in July and August for everything on the coast.

Practical notes

• Currency is the euro, though Montenegro is not in the eurozone. Cards are widely accepted in towns; small bars, beach kiosks and rural restaurants are often cash-only.
• Petrol stations are plentiful on the coast and sparse in the mountains. Fill up before heading into Durmitor or Prokletije.
• Emergency numbers: 112 from any phone, including foreign SIM cards with no credit. Police 122, fire 123, ambulance 124. Roadside assistance (AMSCG) 19807.

Planning around the coast? See our guides to the best beaches in Montenegro and to events and festivals in August and September.

Prices and timetables change. Confirm ferry fares and bus times with the operator before you travel.

Not sure which town to base yourself in? See our guide to where to stay in Montenegro.